Great luck to become the owner of a flat area, the surface of which does not require leveling. But what if the relief on it rises and falls? There are two possible solutions to the problem: to level the surface by pouring lowlands and removing hills, or arrange it with all kinds of stairs and steps. Garden stairs are also interesting in that in addition to their direct purpose - providing convenience for moving around the site with a slope, they will help to transform the architectural and decorative appearance of the garden.
Due to the arrangement of stairs, you can connect the landscape of the site into a single whole and transform the garden, giving it an aristocratic zest and noble charm. In almost every area there is a place where you need to rise from one level to another. To connect the multi-level zones of the site, two steps may well be enough. And even on a flat, flat relief, stairs will not be superfluous. Low descents and ascents will bring dynamics to the surrounding space, making the flat area more diverse.
Processing of the relief and transformation by artificially creating its forms is called geoplasty: //diz-cafe.com/vopros-otvet/planirovka/geoplastika-v-landshaftnom-dizajne.html
Stairs are equipped when creating terraces on the slopes of the site, the design of the central entrance to the house and the courtyard
Depending on the type of execution, garden stairs are divided into mortise and free: the first option involves the presence of retaining walls, and with the second stage they are laid directly on the soil.
Material for the manufacture of stairs can be: wood, natural stone, brick, concrete. The main thing is that the material for finishing the steps corresponds to the style of the site.
For the rustic garden, staircases made of wood cuts and wooden structures decorated with carvings are best suited.
Admirers of the Art Nouveau style for the design of stairs can use concrete slabs of various shapes and colors, from which it is convenient to lay out fancy ornaments. In this case, decorative plants planted along the edges of the stairs will close the transition from steps to the ground. A romantic style, for example, involves the installation of flowerpots along the staircases that contribute to the creation of a lyrical atmosphere.
You can find out which flowers are best suited for planting in flowerpots from the material: //diz-cafe.com/ozelenenie/cvety-dlya-posadki-v-vazony.html
The stone steps decorated with ferns, saxifrages and decorative soil protectors will make a harmonious addition to the landscape style.
General recommendations for arranging stairways
The design and architectural style of the staircase largely depends on its location. Most often, stairs are equipped with a railing, but for small transitional structures with gentle steps, the presence of a railing is not necessary at all.
When designing stairs, the main thing is not to violate the relief plastics, because these multi-level transitions are designed to emphasize the advantages of the site, while successfully hiding its flaws.
Thinking over the arrangement of steps, it is important to correctly determine the proportions of both the entire structure and its individual elements. To calculate the required number of steps and their sizes, you need to take two slats, which are fastened together at right angles. The free end of the first rack is installed at the location of the lower stage, and the end of the second rack is placed at the installation site of the last upper stage. Then we determine the length of the steps: divide the length of the horizontal rail by the estimated number of steps. By the same principle, we calculate the height of the steps, taking the length of the vertical rail as a basis.
The standard sizes of the stairs are 30-40 cm of the tread and 10-12 cm of risers, but garden options for multilevel transitions often make large sizes
The width of the steps should be proportionate to the steepness of the climb. The total width of the stairs is also determined by the width of the garden paths leading to it. The wider the stairs, the larger the field for creativity: floor vases with flowers can be installed on the sides of the spacious steps, and the railing can be braided with beautifully flowering vines and climbing plants.
Traditionally, stairs have at least 3-4 steps. When planning to build a staircase to equip a steep slope, the number of steps in which will exceed 12-14 pieces, it is advisable to provide a landing.
From a flight of stairs you can even make a rest area in miniature: place a table with a bench, install an umbrella, attach a small lamp
If there is a need to connect small differences, where the three steps will look somewhat bulky, you can simply align the site or arrange an additional embankment.
Whatever design option the owners of the site will stop at, a number of points should be taken into account when arranging the stairs:
- Illumination. For safe movement of the site in the dark, it is necessary to provide street lighting. To illuminate the steps, it is convenient to use lamps whose outgoing rays are directed downwards, as well as luminous stones. They do not blind, but give enough light to confidently move up the stairs.
- Non-slip coating surface. As a finishing coating, it is better to use a material with a non-slip surface (textured natural stone, tiles with a corrugated surface).
- Railing. When arranging a staircase to connect height differences of 70 cm or more, in order to increase safety, it is necessary to provide for the presence of a railing. They are made of the same material as the steps.
Another tip - a small slope of 1-2% of the depth of the tread in each step will prevent stagnation of water.
Owners of cottages with uneven terrain will also benefit from material on strengthening walls and slopes on the site: //diz-cafe.com/plan/ukreplenie-sklonov-na-uchastke.html
Properly placed garden lights in addition to the main purpose will help even the most ordinary staircase to make a real decoration of the site
Self-made garden staircase
Option # 1 - from bulk steps
The easiest option for arranging the stairs is from bulk steps. For their arrangement, risers are laid in an inclined recess between the two levels of the site, and the voids between the boards are filled with earth.
As a budget option, stairs use wooden boards, which are installed on the rib between the terraces as a riser and are fixed with pegs on both sides
The function of the treads is performed by the already compacted dense layer of soil. To increase the rigidity of the structure, kosours are used - lateral longitudinal boards, which are placed on the rib to fix the steps. You can prevent board deflection by driving in pegs from the pegs on the inside of the board.
Option # 2 - from logs
To make a garden staircase from logs we need:
- Logs of the same length;
- Metal or wooden pegs;
- Ground bark or gravel.
We dig a trench along the entire length of the slope at the site of the future staircase and tamp the soil. At the bottom of the slope we drive two pegs into the ground, on which the lower step will rest.
We lay the first log close to the pegs, and fill the space behind it with earth, without adding about 5 cm to the edge, and carefully tamp
Using the same technology, we stack other logs, forming the following steps. We equip each step with a tread of crushed bark or gravel.
The mosaic made of round wood is very popular. They are made from the trunk and thick branches of a tree, cutting logs 10-15 cm high
To extend the service life, each wood saw cut is treated with special antiseptics or used engine oil.
Option # 3 - from stone slabs
Stone is an ideal option for the construction of steps. Round, diamond-shaped, rectangular stone slabs can be laid as you like: as a solid floor or with gaps filled with rammed earth.
Lateral displacement of steps relative to each other emphasizes the effect of naturalness and makes the landscape more dynamic
Stone slabs, each of which has considerable weight, are placed on a 7-8 cm "pillow" of crushed stone or sand and fixed with cement mortar. Seams between the plates can be repaired with the same solution, or sprinkled with sand, giving the opportunity to sprout decorative grass.
To avoid opening of the soil and the collapse of the steps, it is necessary to build a retaining wall. It can be completely laid out of that natural stone or built of concrete.
Stairs, skillfully blended into the surrounding landscape and harmoniously combined with the overall design, can become a true decoration of the site.
